Some key messages when developing a healthy local transport strategy include:
- physical inactivity directly contributes to 1 in 6 deaths in the UK and costs £7.4 billion a year to business and wider society
- the growth in road transport has been a major factor in reducing levels of physical activity and increasing obesity
- building walking or cycling into daily routines are the most effective ways to increase physical activity
- short car trips (under 5 miles) are a prime area for switching to active travel and to public transport
- health-promoting transport systems are pro-business and support economic prosperity. They enable optimal travel to work with less congestion, collisions, pollution, and they support a healthier workforce